By Elliot Foster

Derry Mathews has confirmed his retirement from boxing.

The likeable Liverpudlian was stopped inside three rounds at the O2 Arena on Saturday, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Mathews, who leaves the ring with a record of 38-12-2 with 20 KOs, challenged Ohara Davies for the Hackney super-lightweight’s WBC Silver title.

He said in the aftermath, to Sky Sports, that “that’s the end.”

But in an emotional interview after his fight with the Liverpool ECHO, Mathews went further into his decision.

“Even if I had won this fight, I would still know if it was time to retire," Mathews told the ECHO.

"And Danny [Vaughan, his trainer] has said as well so...."

"It's everything," he added.

"Your timing, the niggles you get in the gym, we had to adjust my training, adjust stuff we did on the track, it was just everything.

The former Salisbury ABC amateur, who won 10 pro titles in his glittering career, told Boxing Scene on Saturday –– before his fight –– that a victory against ‘Two Tanks’ would open doors for him and spur on yet another chapter in a seemingly never-ending stint in the sport.

But he has had enough after three defeats on the spin.

"I wouldn't say it was so much age,” he continued, “because I live a clean life, but it's the fights.

"But listen, I've enjoyed it.

"You saw tonight, the reception I got! I'm a Scouser, at the 02 in London, and I got a better reception than Davies.

"That goes to show what the fans think of me.”

You can read the original interview with Derry Mathews, by Phil Kirkbride of the Liverpool ECHO, at http://bit.ly/2mo42Fa.